Simply three sides stay and not using a defeat heading into matchday eight of the Girls’s Tremendous League season, however two of the early pacesetters sq. off this Saturday.
Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea cleared the path within the early-season standings, although Sonia Bompastor’s Blues are but to drop some extent from their six video games up to now.
That blockbuster encounter, set for Saturday, headlines the upcoming WSL weekend, however there’s additionally a lot extra to whet the urge for food.
Brighton will probably be trying to preserve tempo with the highest two towards West Ham, whereas a North London Derby is within the offing between Tottenham and Arsenal.
Sunday’s motion sees winless Everton sq. off towards Merseyside rivals Liverpool, whereas Manchester United journey to the King Energy Stadium to tackle Leicester Metropolis.
However who does the Opta supercomputer predict will emerge victorious this time round? Right here, we delve into the pre-match details for every of this weekend’s fixtures.
BRIGHTON V WEST HAM
Brighton have been the shock package deal of the WSL this time period, sitting third within the standings, however they had been on the tip of a 5-0 defeat to a rejuvenated Arsenal final day trip.
Regardless of the Seagulls’ heavy defeat, they’re handed a win chance of 51.3%, with West Ham given a 23.9% likelihood of following up their victory over Leicester with one other three factors. A draw is given a 24.8% probability of taking place.
Brighton have gained six of their final eight WSL conferences with West Ham (D1 L1), with the Seagulls successful extra video games towards the Hammers than another opponent within the competitors (seven).
They gained 4 straight matches on the Amex between 2019 and 2022 however are winless in three video games on the venue since (D1 L2), together with a 1-1 draw with Manchester United final month.
West Ham have gained simply certainly one of their final 14 away video games within the Girls’s Tremendous League (D3 L10), conceding in every of these matches; the Hammers may now equal their longest run of away matches within the competitors and not using a clear sheet (15 in December 2020).
However Hammers boss Rehanne Skinner has gained every of her final 4 WSL video games towards Brighton with out conceding, a run that features her largest ever victory within the competitors, successful 8-0 with Tottenham in October 2022.
TOTTENHAM V ARSENAL
Renee Slegers maintained her unbeaten begin as Arsenal’s interim head coach with arguably essentially the most dominant show of her tenure, beating Juventus 4-0 in midweek.
And he or she is predicted to proceed her successful streak this weekend, with Arsenal handed a whopping win chance of 67.2%, the most important of any aspect on matchday eight.
Tottenham, who had been on the tip of a 4-0 thrashing by Man Metropolis final day trip, are given a 14.9% likelihood of victory, with the specter of a draw at 17.9%.
Arsenal have gained seven of their 9 video games towards Tottenham within the WSL and have both saved a clear sheet (5) or conceded precisely as soon as (4) in every of these conferences.
Following their 5-0 win over Brighton, Arsenal will probably be trying to win back-to-back WSL video games for the primary time this season. That is the Gunners’ longest look ahead to consecutive wins from the beginning of a WSL season since 2016 (ninth recreation).
Tottenham have gained solely certainly one of their 9 conferences with Arsenal within the WSL (D1 L7), however that sole victory did come on this fixture final season, successful 1-0 due to a Martha Thomas objective.
Solely Vivianne Miedema (eight) has scored extra WSL targets within the North London Derby than Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord. She has netted seven instances in simply eight league appearances towards Spurs and will probably be trying to construct on her objective towards Juve in midweek.
CHELSEA V MAN CITY
The standout fixture of matchday eight sees Stamford Bridge host Chelsea’s top-of-the-table conflict with Man Metropolis.
Regardless of Gareth Taylor’s aspect sitting on the summit of the standings, they’re handed a 22.5% win chance, with the Blues’ hopes of salvaging some extent ranked barely greater at 23.7%. Chelsea, in the meantime, gained 53.7% of Opta’s data-led simulations.
Bompastor may turn out to be the primary ever supervisor to win every of their first seven video games within the WSL. Her Blues are aiming to turn out to be the third workforce in WSL historical past to win every of their opening seven video games of a marketing campaign after this weekend’s opponents did so in 2017-18 (completed 2nd) and Arsenal did so in 2018-19 (completed 1st).
Chelsea have additionally gained all six of their earlier matches at Stamford Bridge within the WSL by an combination rating of 17-4, essentially the most video games any workforce has ever performed within the competitors at a house venue whereas sustaining a 100% document.
Nevertheless, Metropolis are unbeaten of their final three WSL conferences with Chelsea (W2 D1) whereas solely Arsenal (10) have recorded extra wins over the Blues within the competitors than the Residents (seven).
Metropolis have additionally gained 17 of their 19 WSL video games in 2024 (D1 L1) and will win 18 top-flight video games in a single calendar yr for the very first time.
wins in a row in all competitions! pic.twitter.com/t9EJT1Twqe
— Manchester Metropolis Girls (@ManCityWomen) November 12, 2024
ASTON VILLA V CRYSTAL PALACE
Aston Villa are certainly one of solely two sides within the division but to document a win this season, however are predicted to get their first three factors on the board at dwelling to Crystal Palace.
Opta’s data-led simulations favoured the Villans in 51.1% of situations. A draw is given a 24.8% likelihood of taking place, with Palace handed a win chance of simply 24.1%.
This would be the second assembly between the 2 sides already this season, with the Villans successful 2-0 at dwelling in a League Cup group-stage recreation in October.
It will, nevertheless, be the primary time Palace have confronted Villa in a league recreation since September 2019, when the Eagles suffered a 6-0 dwelling loss to the eventual 2019-20 Championship winners.
Crystal Palace have gained 4 factors from their three away video games within the WSL thus far this season (W1 D1 L1), changing into simply the third newly promoted aspect to take action after Tottenham in 2019-20 (six) and Aston Villa in 2020-21 (six). No such workforce has ever picked up seven factors from their first 4 matches on the highway in a single marketing campaign.
However Villa are unbeaten in six earlier WSL video games towards newly promoted opposition (W4 D2), although they did draw their final two such dwelling matches (3-3 v Liverpool, 2-2 v Bristol Metropolis), and have saved two clear sheets of their final 4 league video games, the identical variety of shutouts as they managed throughout their earlier 15 WSL matches.
EVERTON V LIVERPOOL
Everton’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace noticed them decide up simply their third level of the season, however they are going to be hoping to earn their first three factors of the yr towards rivals Liverpool.
The Toffees are handed a 32.6% win chance in comparison with Liverpool’s 41.9%, the closest margin between any two sides on matchday eight. A draw is given a 25.5% probability.
Everton, nevertheless, have gained 4 of their final seven conferences with Liverpool within the WSL (D2 L1), greater than they managed of their first 10 Merseyside Derbies within the competitors (W3 D3 L4).
However they’ve struggled at Goodison Park. They haven’t gained a WSL recreation in 4 makes an attempt on the iconic stadium (D2 L2), failing to attain in three of these video games. Their most up-to-date such match got here earlier this month, shedding 5-0 to Chelsea.
Whereas the Reds are winless of their final three journeys throughout Stanley Park, they’re having fun with their longest ever unbeaten run away from dwelling within the WSL, going eight with out defeat since shedding to Man Metropolis in January (W6 D2). Solely Chelsea (9) and Metropolis (eight) have gained extra instances on the highway within the high flight in 2024 than the Reds (six).
The Reds’ Marie-Therese Hobinger would be the participant to look at. She has created extra probabilities from set-pieces than another participant within the WSL this season (10), whereas every of her seven assists within the competitors have come through corners.
Subsequent up…the Merseyside derby #EVELIV
— Liverpool FC Girls (@LiverpoolFCW) November 11, 2024
LEICESTER V MAN UTD
Certainly one of two video games that conclude the weekend’s motion takes place within the East Midlands, with Man United, the third workforce and not using a loss this time period, taking up Leicester.
The Pink Devils are, unsurprisingly, favoured by Opta’s data-led simulations and are handed a 66.7% likelihood of rising victorious. Leicester are given only a 15.2% likelihood of successful, with a draw valued at 18.1%.
Although they’re unbeaten within the WSL this season, United have drawn their final three league matches. The final workforce to attract 4 in a row within the competitors was Aston Villa in Could 2021 (5 in a row).
United have conceded simply twice of their opening six league video games this season, with solely Man Metropolis in 2016 (0) and 2019-20 (one) and Arsenal in 2022-23 (one) ever leaking fewer targets at this stage of a marketing campaign. The Pink Devils’ opponents have by far the worst conversion price within the competitors this time period, nevertheless (2.9%).
The Foxes are winless in six earlier conferences with United within the WSL (D1 L5), solely dealing with Arsenal (P7 L7) and Villa (P7 D2 L5) extra usually within the competitors with out successful.
Elisabeth Terland has scored three targets in her final two WSL appearances towards Leicester, with the striker solely netting in additional video games within the competitors towards Tottenham (4 completely different video games).
